Air heater



Get. 31, 1939. 1 E ROUALET 2,177,840

AIR HEATER Filed Jan. 20, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NTOR ANDRE 51.5. ROUALEZ' A z romvms Oct 1939- A. J E. ROUALET AIR HEATER Filed Jan. 20, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ODQQODQQ INVENTOR ANDRE JE, ROUALET BY/A;

P in i w A TTORNE VJ,

Patented Oct. 31, 1939 AIR HEATER Andre J. E. Roualet, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application January 20, 1938, Serial No. 185,791

6 Claims.

This invention relates to heaters for facilitating starting of engines and to an improved method of starting the same.

More particularly, the invention pertains to improvements in heaters for warming a charge of air or fuel to be fed to an internal combustion engine to facilitate starting.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide an improved heater by which a body of air or fuel to be fed into an internal combustion engine is subjected to a predetermined heating period preparatory to starting.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a heater or this character, especially 1| adapted for use in a Diesel engine, which has an electrical heating element and a control therefor whereby the engine operator may conveniently and economically vary according to the surrounding atmospheric temperatures the duration of the operation of the heater element whereby said body of air may be subjected to a selected predetermined heating period preparatory to starting.

Further objects of the invention are to provide in a heater of this kind an electrical heating element and a control therefor by which the engine operator may conveniently vary according to the surrounding atmospheric temperatures the duration of the operation'of the heater element whereby the body of air within the air intake of a Diesel engine may be subjected to a selected predetermined heating period preparatory to starting, and may further selectively vary the duration of the operation of the heater element during the engine cranking operation whereby the air entering the engine air intake is subjected to a predetermined heating period; to provide such a heater which is particularly effective in the air intake or within the intake manifold of the engine; to provide a heater of this kind which is electrically and mechanically independent of the starter mechanism of the engine; and to provide a heater of this character which is simple, inexpensive and extremely economical in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a Diesel type engine enbodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 4 Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2. v .Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the solenoid switch, the section being taken g pprgximately as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is an elevational view taken as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 isa diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical system of control between the manually operated remote control of Fig. 5 and the electric resistance heating element.

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified structure.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along a the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 8 but illustrating another modified structure.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the improved heater, generally designated by the numeral I0, is illustrated as embodied in a Diesel type internal combustion engine l i. It is to be understood that the improved heater may be used to warm the air and fuel to be fed to other types of internal combustion engines, without departing from the scope of theinvention.

The particular Diesel engine illustrated comprises an intake manifold l2 having a longitudinally extending passage l3 and an air inlet neck portion l4 having a flange to which a corresponding flange of an air cleaner I5 is detachably secured by bolts It. The engine H further comprises a starting mechanism l1, clutch mechanism i8 and transmission l9.

Interposed between the flange of the air cleaner l5 and the adjacent flange of the neck portion M of the intake manifold I2 is an electric resistance heating element, generally indicated by the reference numeral 20. The element 20 comprises a supporting member 2| having a central opening 22 registering with the air passage in 'the manifold neck portion 14, and upper and lower loosely spaced flat lattice-like electric resistance elements comprising wire ribbon 23 and 24. The supporting member 2| is preferably formed of an insulating material, such as Transite, and is detachable secured in place by' the bolts 86. The heating elements are disposed across the air inlet passage of the manifold.

Pairs of electrical terminals 25 and 26, and 2'5 and 28 respectively are carried by the member 26 to supply an electric current to the heating elements 23 and 24 respectively. These heating elements, as illustrated, are electrically connected in parallel by the conductors 39 and 40.

The terminals 25 and 21 are electrically connected with a control circuit solenoid switch, generally designated by the numeral 4|. This switch 4| is secured to the housing of the clutch l9 and is adapted to control the passage of current from a conductor 42 connected with a storage battery 43, or other suitable source of electric current. A conductor 44 extends from the fixed contact of the solenoid switch to the contact 21 of the heating element 24 which is in turn connected by the conductor 39 to the terminal 25 of the heating element 23. The terminals 26 and, 24 of the heating elements 23 and 24 respectively may be electrically grounded or connected to the other terminal of the battery by a conductor 45.

The solenoid 4| comprises casing and cover portions 48 and 41 respectively. The casing portion 49 has secured therein a central sleeve 48 within which an armature 49 isadapted to reciprocate and about which a coil 53 is disposed. The armature has a reduced end portion which is slidably supported in the cover portion 41 and which carries an electrical switch member 5| electrically insulated from the armature 49 by an insulating ring 52. A spring 54 is inter-, posed between the casing 45 and the insulator 52 to yieldingly urge the armature 49 'to its illustrated position of Fig. 4 and to hold the switch member 5! in open position. The casing 49 has secured thereto a pair of spaced electrical contacts 55 and 56 which have outwardly extending terminal portions 51 and 58 respectively. The contacts 55 and 5B areso arranged with respect to the movable contact member 5| that when the coil 53 is energized and the armature 49 is urged thereby to the left, as viewed in'Flg. 4, the member 5| will establish an electric circuit between the contacts 55 and 55. Upon the interruption of this electric current through the windings 53 the spring 54 will yieldingly urge the armature 49 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4 to its illustrated position and thereby opening the solenoid, switch. An electric current is introduced to the coil 53 through a conductor 60 and a terminal 5i carried by the casing 46, the windings 53 being electrically grounded to the casing 45 by a lead 52 or to the battery 43.

In order to provide a suitable control whereby the engine operator can selectively vary, accordingto the surrounding atmospheric temperatures,

the length of time the heating elements 23 and 24 are energized, a variable time switch, generally designated by the numeral 10, is mounted (I the dash II of the vehicle. It will be apparent that other forms of remote control of this nature may be used at other points without departing from the scope of the invention.

The time switch 19 comprises a casing 12 within which is housed suitable clock mechanism which will maintain the solenoid circuit closed during the length of time established by a pre- .determined setting. The details of this timing mechanism have not been shown since such mechanisms are well-known to those familiar with the art. The time switch includes a dial 13 graduated in units of temperature corresponding to the lengths of the heating periods desired when'starting the engine at respectively different atmospheric temperatures. The time mechanism may be set by manipulation of a variable control member which also serves as an indicator. One terminal of the time switch I0 is electrically connected with the coil 53 by a conductor 8! and the other terminal thereof is connected to the battery 43 by the conductor 82. The remaining terminalof the coil is connected to the other terminal of the battery.

The vehicle operator may conveniently turn the control 39 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5, to the various positions in accordance with surrounding atmospheric temperatures, and by so doing will cause the timing mechanism to establish an electrical connection between the leads 8| and 82 to close the solenoid switch thereby completing a circuit through the heating elements 23 and 24 for a predetermined period. During operation of the time switch the control member 80 returns to its original position. Thus the body of air within the manifold l4 and the air cleaner I5 is heated for a selected period. The time switch is so constructed and arranged that the lengths of the heating periods established thereby is increased as required by lowering of the atmospheric temperature.

The foregoing circuits are shown in the wiring diagram illustrated in Fig. 6, which also diagrammatically illustrates the starting motor circuit of the vehicle.

This circuit includes the electrical starting motor H which receives its supply of current from the positive terminal of the battery 43 through a starter switch 95 and an electric conductor 86, the starter being electrically grounded through the clutch housing i8, or through an electric lead 81 connected to the negative ter-' minal of the battery 43. The improved heater is electrically and mechanically independent of the starter mechanism I! of the engine I i and failure of one of these will not prevent the use of the other.

In the operation of this particular embodiment of the invention, the engine operator turns the control member 89 to the degree markings of the dial 13 corresponding to the surrounding atmospheric temperature. The indicator will be slowly returned to its illustrated position by the timing mechanism and during this period, current is supplied to the heating elements 23 and 24 to sufliciently heat the body of air within the intake manifold I2 and the air cleaner l5 to promote starting. He then closes the starting switch 35 to start the engine. If desired, the operator may reset the time switch after the initial heating period is completed so as to energize the heating elements while the starter motor is operating and during the initial operation of the engine.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is illustrated a form of heating element which is adapted to be used in the improved air heating system. This heating element includes a cylindrical frame structure 9|,

comprising non-conductive material, in which is supported a coil-shaped resistance element 99. The frame 9| is fitted in the inlet tube of the manifold and provided with a flange 92 which is seated upon the upper extremity thereof.

The heating element has electrical terminals 93 and 94 which may be connected with the conductors 44 and 45 respectively and it extends substantially into the neck portion i4 of the manifold but does not interfere with the flow of air therethrough.

The heating element shown in Fig, 9 includes a cylindrical frame structure 96, similar to that shown in Figs. 7 and 8, which is adapted to be inserted through the passage of the neck portion l4 and into the junction of the branches of the manifold. A coil of resistance wire 95 is carried by the frame structure 96 which has a base portion 99 seated in a recess in the manifold and provided with terminals 91 and 95 for connection with the conductors 44 and 45 respectively. This particular arrangement of the heating element 95 in the intake manifold I2 is such that the body of air within the passage portions I3 and I4 is quickly and effectively heated and all incoming air must pass through the windingof the heating element before entering the branch passages l3 of the manifold.

By virtue of the improved air heater the engine operator may conveniently vary, according to the surrounding atmospheric temperatures, the duration of the heating period so as to assure the supply of ample warm air. to the engine for assisting starting thereof without needless waste vof electrical energy. The engine may be quickly started under any temperature without the heater consuming more than the necessary amount of electrical current necessary to warm the body of air to a temperature that is suilicient to effect easy starting. Such a heater is comparatively inexpensive, efiicient and may be conveniently installed on many types of engines.

Various modifications and changes may be effected in the illustrated'applications without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of th appended claims,

What I claim is:

1. A heater for warming a body of combustion supporting gas to be fed to an internal combustion engine to facilitate quick starting comprising an electric resistance heating element disposed within said engine in contact with said body of gas, an electric circuit including a source of electric current for heating said element, and a manually variable time switch in said circuit for predetermining the period of operation of said element, said time switch including a dial having temperature calibrations corresponding to selected time intervals and being adapted to be manually set to predetermine the period of operation of said element.

2. An air heater for warming a oody of air to be fed to a Diesel type internal combustion engine to facilitate quick starting thereof comprising an electric resistance heating element secured within said engine in contact with said body of air, a source of electric current for heating said element, an electrical switch for break-v ing the electric current to said heating element, and means including a selectively adjustable timing mechanism having an indicator provided with temperature calibration for varying according to the surrounding atmospheric temperatures the period said switch is closed whereby the period of operation of said element is controlled.

3. An air heater for warming a body of air in an intake manifold of a Diesel type engine to facilitate quick starting thereof including an electric resistance heating element comprising loosely spaced flat lattice work portions disposed across the air inlet passage ofsaid in take manifold, and an electric circuit for heating said resistance element including a variable time switch for predetermining the period of opelectric resistance heating element electrically insulated from and secured within said engine in contact with said body of air, a source of electric current for heating said element, an electrical switch for breaking the electric current to said heating element, and manually operable means having an indicator calibrated in temperature for conveniently varying according to the surrounding atmospheric temperatures the period of operation of said element whereby said body of air is subjected to a predetermined heating period preparatory to starting, and for warming the air entering through the air intake of the intake manifold during the starting operation.

5. The method of starting an internal combustion engine comprising heating the body of combustion supporting gas to be fed to the engine to a predetermined temperature corresponding to surrounding atmospheric temperatures, before cranking said engine. and cranking said engine.

6. The method of starting a Diesel type engine comprising heating the body of air within the engine air intake system during a predetermined time interval of a length corresponding to the surrounding atmospheric temperature before cranking said engine, and simultaneously cranking said engine and heating the air entering into the engine air intake system.

Arman J. n. 2.0mm. 

